Winning Recipe: St. Paddy’s Day Cooking

If you’re not Irish, you might think of St. Patrick’s Day as a holiday reserved for college students drinking green beer… Well Irish or not, think again! For one thing, a true hostess never passes up an excuse to entertain. And for another, your idea of St. Paddy’s Day entertaining is about to get turned on its head!

Check out these three delectable recipes from my friend and chef extraordinaire, Gavan Murphy aka “The Healthy Irishman.” The first two recipes are in Gavan’s signature light and healthy style, and the last one is a little more traditional for those of you looking to get into the true St. Paddy’s Day spirit. Bon appetit!

*You can make your own almond meal by pulsing raw almonds in a food processor.

Instructions:Preheat non-stick skillet on medium heat for 1 minute. Add 2 tbsp. olive oil and sauté onions for 3-4 minutes until soft. Once cooked, set aside and let cool. Cut the fish into large bite-sized chunks and place in a food processor. Using the pulse button, blitz the fish for 30 seconds on and off. You don’t want to puree the fish, just a coarse chop. Add to a large mixing bowl along with the onions, chives, capers, mustard, lemon zest and seasoning. Using clean hands, mix thoroughly. Preheat skillet and cook a small bite-sized portion of the cake, checking for additional seasoning. If satisfied with seasoning roll the cakes into tennis ball-sized portions or slightly smaller.

To Crumb Fishcakes:Set up the eggs and almond meal in two separate containers. Add a pinch of salt & pepper to the almond meal to season. Dip the fishcakes into the egg coating the entire cake. Hold over the mixture to let the excess egg drain off, then roll in the almond meal to fully coat. Flatten them out into 1/2″ thick cakes. Set aside on a baking sheet until ready to cook. All of this can be done ahead of time.

To cook:Preheat same skillet as above. Add 4 tbsp. olive oil and sear each cake for 1-2 minutes on each side until golden. Remove to a foiled oven tray. Preheat oven to 400°F. Pop cakes in oven for 6-7 minutes until internal temperature 150°F.

Instructions:Combine all pancake ingredients together in a mixing bowl. Preheat large non-stick sauté pan on medium heat. Once hot, drizzle olive oil in pan and place 1/2 cup of mixture in pan. Flatten gently to ¼-inch thickness. Cook for approximately 4 minutes each side, drizzling some olive oil on each pancake before flipping over to ensure they don’t stick. This can be done ahead of time. To reheat, pop in preheated 375°F oven on foiled oven tray for 10 minutes to crisp.

Instructions:Preheat sauté pan on med-high heat. Season flour with salt & pepper and coat the beef, shaking off excess. Sauté the beef in 3 batches, adding 1 tbsp. oil each time. Once beef is browned, set aside. Using same pan, add onion, carrots and garlic, and sauté for 3 minutes. Add mushrooms and continue to sauté for an additional minute. Add in tomato paste and stir constantly for 1 minute. Pour in 1 cup Guinness and scrape all caramelized bits from bottom of pan. Add beef and vegetable mix together into a large stockpot along with herbs and remaining liquid. Bring to a boil and then reduce to a simmer. Cover and cook for approximately 1½ to 1¾ hrs. or until beef is fork tender. Serve with Irish soda bread and a good pint o’ Guinness. Slainte!

Are you going to give any of these dishes a try?

You can click HERE for even more delicious St. Paddy’s Day recipes from Gavan and don’t forget to follow him on Twitter! Happy St. Patrick’s Day!